52 in 1: WEEK 45 - a birthday party for my 3 year old

Well, almost 3 year old. Our sweet girl's party went amazingly today... I'll let the pictures tell the story. Thanks to all who attended and helped us celebrate Brynlee... Enjoy!

(Thanks again to Carrie for being my personal photographer- don't know what I'd do without you!)

Love this last little montage of Addison feeding Trey... such a sweet sister!

daybook

Outside my window...

it's chilly, almost freezing... hoping the tree buds that have formed in the freaky-abnormally warm Spring weather we've had in the past week don't freeze off.

I am thinking...

about many things... mostly about how I'm hoping and praying Brynlee doesn't have a high fever tomorrow like she's had in the past two days. It hurts me so to see her so miserable, plus I'm not feeling too hot either so it's a recipe for crankiness all around. Let's just say I'm pretty sure the past few days have been a mothering fail. Clinging to my word of the year.

I am thankful for...

quiet trips to the grocery store (with a Tim Horton's cappuccino in hand) after sick kids are in bed. I seriously circled Wegmans about six times tonight, just because I could.

I am learning...

that I would have loved to live in the early 1900s. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong decade. I love today's technology and stuff, but the properness and tradition of that time intrigues me... or perhaps it's just Downton Abbey that intrigues me. Or maybe I'm obsessed. And maybe I watch the interviews with the cast members a little too closely. And maybe season 3 needs to come out, like yesterday.

I am creating...

decorations and a menu for my B's birthday party this weekend.

I am going...

out for hibachi tomorrow night (grownups only!) with our small group... as long as fevers don't make another appearance tomorrow (please please)!

I am hearing...

the monitor. The usual.

Around my house...

so much is getting done! My dad and Ryan are building built-in bookshelves in the living room and my mom has been painting the kitchen cabinets (eeeee!) and I have been cleaning up after them and pretty much just bossing everyone around.

One of my favorite things...

is giveaways!!! Don't forget to enter the Nourish Organics sugar scrub giveaway on She {hearts} It... and Keight is now hosting a giveaway for a free pair of earrings from my shop. Get at it (see how bossy I am?)!

A few plans for my week...

going out to eat, cleaning like crazy, party prep, taking a MUCH needed trip to see my hairdresser (I think I'm going to do something different for once), and partying it up on Saturday. Then the prep and packing for the OBX begins... ahhh I cannot wait!

A picture...

I feel lame for pretty much only using my phone to take pictures, like, always now... but it's better than nothing, right?! Plus my camera is totally in the process of biting the dust. Sad. I DID, however, take pictures with my real camera of my kids painting the other day, until Mac decided to paint his entire body and I had to toss him in the tub. He was not the happiest, to say the least.

My Net girls and I went out to celebrate Amy's birthday on Saturday, complete with lunch, dollar store candy, the biggest tub of popcorn EVER, and The Hunger Games.  So fun!

Brother goofing off with sick sissy, trying to make her feel better. :)

Painting kids!  The mess was worth it!

52 in 1: WEEK 44 - knotted linen bunting

Bethany has been having a monthly craft night for a little less than a year, and I am so glad to be able to be home and participate now. Craft night fell on this past Monday for the month of March, and we all worked at our little projects with a vengeance. Alyssa helped me make the knots for this great (easy, easy, easy) bunting (tutorial here) for Brynlee's upcoming birthday party. It's so simple and I love the look. Kinda disheveled, bright, and fun. Just like my sweet almost 3 year old girl. :)

I used linen and linen-look fabric.

Alyssa, Sarah, Bethany, Christy, and Kimi. So much talent and beauty in one room!

Love it!

I {heart} Nourish Organics

I'm gushing about featuring Nourish Organics today over at She {hearts} It. Not like you need to be further convinced that I LOVE their products, but you are NOT going to want to miss this: Raechel and Olivia are giving away an organic sweet orange sugar scrub to a lucky reader, along with offering a sweet discount good until Sunday. Get going and enter!

52 in 1: WEEK 43 - a new life for old frames

This is my feeble attempt at a weekly "project"- I feel like I did SO MUCH this week, yet I also feel like I have nothing to show for it. I need to pick up my camera more and get inspired to do some more in-depth projects.

I went through my (heavy!) box of picture frames and picked out a couple that could be used in Brynlee's room. I am going to do a gallery wall of fun prints, canvases, and miscellaneous pretties in there and I want to use mostly white frames. I needed some 8x10 frames for Erin's prints, but didn't want to shell out lots of money for simple frames. I stopped into Goodwill today and scored three 8x10 frames, two for $.99 and one for $1.99. Yes! (And, as an aside, I can NOT stand when people/stores say/advertise items for ".99 cents". Really?! That means less than a penny. Moving on.)

Cheap frames- jackpot!

I laid my sorry frames on newspaper on the grass, white-spray painted away, and of course they all got rained on/dewed on/newspaper stuck to them due to the wind in the process. Sigh. So I'm thinking that they will all need a little sanding and another coat of white. No true "after" picture this week... but I tried! Boo. And boo for Mac managing to totally bite it on the driveway today and acquire his first fat lip. It's a rite of passage... right?!

I {heart} Putapuredukes

I'm featuring Keight's shop, Putapuredukes, today over at She {hearts} It. Keight is also giving away a custom jewelry roll to one lucky winner. Go enter!

daybook

Outside my window...

it's 55 degrees at 9:30 pm. *angel choir*

I am thinking...

that Mac MUST not wake up with a fever again in the morning. He's had a high one all this week and when we went to the doctor yesterday he said that I needed to bring Mac in again if it's not gone by tomorrow. My poor baby. He needs a break!

I am thankful for...

the opportunity to be a part of Gussy Sews' Spring Gift Guide. Click the button below to check it out!

I am learning...

Wordpress, thanks to She {hearts} It!

I am creating...

a plan of attack for the giant pile of laundry looming next to me.

I am going...

to Emily's house tomorrow morning and to a girls' night in the evening. Lucky me!

I am hearing...

the monitor and the occasional car driving by.

Around my house...

I see a pile of clothes that I bought for the kids today for our OBX trip. Much damage done at Old Navy.

One of my favorite things...

is Mac's new ability/willingness to give REAL hugs and his new skill that we discovered just tonight: pointing to the pictures in his books and saying "What's that?" Melt!

A few plans for my week...

this weekend is free and clear! Family time! Maybe we'll hit up the St. Patrick's Day parade on Saturday.

A picture...

or two from the other day- who doesn't play on the swingset in full princess getup?!

I {heart} C and Me Designs

I'm featuring my dear Erin's shop, C and Me Designs over at she {hearts} it today! And pssst... she's giving away something from her shop, too! Check it out!

52 in 1: WEEK 42 - pretty plates

I've been collecting pretty plates for awhile, always wanting to have them on display in my kitchen.  I finally decided I had enough (I actually decided against putting a few up) to begin a little plate wall in my kitchen.  I (Ryan) put these up on one side of our backyard-facing sliding door, and I plan on collecting a few more to hang on the other side of the door.

Plate hangers- a few bucks at Walmart. 

The pretties.

Could I love this one more?  I submit that I cannot.

My hero.

 

Whoops, I apparently was one small plate hanger short.  

 Thank you to my lovely assistant for stepping in.

Where did I find each of these plates?  Glad you asked.

Next up- more wall pretties.  I have so much up my sleeve- Hint: think Brynlee's room!

daybook

Outside my window...

it's dark and sounds like it's windy. Tomorrow it is supposed to be 64 degrees!

I am thinking...

that I CAN complete all the errands I have planned for tomorrow morning (with kiddos in tow)... post office, sewing machine shop (I'm picking up my serger, Martha, and dropping off my sewing machine, Vik- can't wait to have them BOTH well again!), Wegmans, Target, blood draw for Mac (routine stuff), and I'm sure I've missed a few.

I am thankful for...

impromptu dinner dates with my best friends and our families. Tonight was the best!

I am learning...

how to make my house look clean when I know it really isn't. (HA.)

I am creating...

a birthday party theme/plan for my ALMOST THREE YEAR OLD. Can't believe it's been almost 3 years since my miracle baby changed my world.

I am going...

to the OBX in exactly a month. We, I should say, meaning our family and Ryan's whole family. We ALL need this vacation- badly!

I am hearing...

last night's The Voice. Thank you, dvr. I'm wondering what's up with Adam's sweater and what's on Christina's head.

Around my house...

I picked up the clutter before I sat down. Solid decision.

One of my favorite things...

is root beer! I just can't get enough. Love.

A few plans for my week...

small group tomorrow night, visiting friends, hanging out with Justin & Amy & the kiddos on Saturday, attending a baby shower for a dear friend and her miracle baby on Sunday. :)

A picture...

or a montage... from a few weeks ago. Love my boys!

52 in 1: WEEK 41 - kitchen tile

Ahhh, finally. After a little over a week, I have my kitchen back and pretty new tile to enjoy! The tiles are bigger than the others, and we used a super dark charcoal grout (even though in the flash pictures it looks lighter). Next up, painting the cabinets (white!) and installing the pretty glass knobs that are just waiting to be put to use and admired (I swear a ray of sunshine comes out of that box and I hear a choir sing every time I open it... baha!). I've been collecting lovely plates to display on the wall near the sliding doors and Ryan just ordered new blinds for those doors (the ones that are up now are so old, dirty, and, most importantly, broken).

So, of course I waited until there was practically no light left to take these pictures (and I hate using a flash) so I apologize for the orangey glow.

Our starting point:

Before and after!

The color looks like this in real life- had to turn the flash on to really capture it.

Yay!

A few more things to make me happy today:

Angel face baby boy.

Aqua nails (OPI's "fly" from the Nicki Minaj collection- can't believe I admitted that).

Abbott's in March- my husband is THE best.